GCSEs: Best ever year at Buxton Community School

There were celebrations all round at Buxton Community School as the school achieved its best ever GCSE results.

This year’s students performed incredibly well with 39 pupils receiving five A* or A grades, with 20 students achieving eight or more.

And headteacher Deb Hill, who left the school at the end of the summer term, said she was delighted.

“Sixty three per cent of students have got five higher passes including maths and English which we’re very pleased about.

“Equally, we’ve got some fantastic youngsters who have had quite a difficult couple of years and who have had to work really really hard to get the grades to go on to college or sixth form.

“We’ve got pupils with special needs who have worked really hard to get their grade E or F and we’re just as proud of these youngsters as we are of those who got As and A*s because everybody has done the best they possibly can.”

She added: “Really the results reflect the way this year group have worked incredibly hard. They started revision early, and took the exams really seriously. The way they have approached it has been absolutely excellent.”

A large percentage of students gained the qualifications necessary to study Level 3 qualifications, many of whom will be joining the school sixth form.

As usual there were some outstanding individual performances, the most noteworthy were: Susie Budd (10A*,B), Sarah Lowes(8A*,1A), Leo Dearden

One student who was celebrating was 16-year-old Sarah Lowes, who said her results were “awesome”. Sarah now plans to go on and do A levels in double English, history and art.

Acting headteacher Glenda Hunter said: “It is lovely to see the success of very able, hard- working students whose results compare well with the best in the country. However, when we were going through the results, it was the achievement of pupils who found studying hard but who achieved well despite this as a result of hard work and the support of their teachers that made me smile and gave us an equal degree of satisfaction.”

She went on to lament the changes to BTec vocational qualifications which are being made increasingly academic.

“BTecs are excellent qualifications which in the past have allowed students to study independently and to show what they have learned in a different way to taking an exam. Making an examination a compulsory part of this qualification is a backward step.”

And Mrs Hunter also paid tribute to outgoing headteacher Deb Hill.

“I am sure Deb is delighted that she has left us with the school’s best ever performance at GCSE,” she said. “I am confident that we can continue to build on this success. The town has every reason to be proud of the local community school.”